Water-gage.



No. 646,022. Patented Mar. 27=o |900.

J. A. & S. FLETCHER.

WATER GAGE;

(Application led Nov. 11, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M5. M M3 `J/MZ H625?? @Mw @m1/Ww( ATOHNEY S UNITED STATES ATENT FFrcE'.

JAMEs AsI-IToN FLETCHER AND sAMuEL FLETCHER, oF AsHToN-UNDER- LYNE, ENGLAND.

WATER-GAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,022, dated March 27, 1900. Application tiled November 11, 1899. Seria-l No. 736,635. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES ASHTON FLETCHER and SAMUEL FLETCHER, engineers, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and residents of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Water- Gages, (for which we have made application for Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 7 ,810, bearing date April 13, 1899,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to water-gages for steam-boilers and other apparatus where the level of the liquid is indicated by external glass tubes or their equivalents; and the object of the invention is to facilitate the observation of the liquid-levels by an improved arrangement of artificial light or lights.

To this end the invention comprises a gageglass having a tube extending throughout the length thereof with means for illuminating the tube.

Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings, which illustrate the method of carrying our invention into effect according to one modification as applied to a watergage constructed with a at gage-glass, Figure l is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 is a central sectional plan, of ourimproved Watergage. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of Fig. 1, and Fig. -1 illustrates a modification of the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the back portion of a gage fitted with the modified form of incandescent lamp, and Fig. 5a is a plan of the top of the lamp.

The metallic casing A is provided with the usual nozzles B for attachment to the gagearms, and the flat gage-glass C is held tightly to the front of the casing A by the frame E and screws F. The frame E carries a hinged door G, iitted with a protecting-glass I-I, covered with wire-netting l. The back of the casing A is formed with an enlargement D, which is open top and bottom to admit of the insertion of a glass tube K. The tube K is provided with gland-rings L and packing, which take into gland-recesses L in the casing for the purpose of maintaining the exterior of the tube steam and water tight against the pressure in the gage. An elongated in` candescent electric lamp M is introduced within the tube K and held between the two metallic plates N, which are carried by the hollow plugs P and which contact with the metallic terminal caps 1W of the lamp. The plugs vP are constructed of porcelain, vulcanite, or other suitable insulating material, and they are removably secured in the gland-rings 6o L, lin the present instance a screw-threaded connection being used, so as to permit of ready removal and replacement of the lamp. Wing-nuts Q or other suitable terminal connections are provided upon the plugs for 6 5 connection of the lamp in the circuit of a suitable source of electric current, the connection from the wing-nuts to the lamp being effected through the metal plates R, which con- 'nect with the contact-plates N through the 7o springs S.

According to a further modification of the arrangements above described, as illustrated in Fig. 4, we place the lamp M2 of the ordinary incandescent electric type or other suit- 7 5 able source of light at one end of the tube K and t the gland-ring L with a lens L2, so as to direct a beam of light along the axis of the tube, thereby illuminating it.

In order to secure a uniformly-dilused light 8o in the gage, the glass tube K or the lamp may be ground, painted, or oth erwise similarly treated.

In the modification of our invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 5 the tube-container K 85, is dispensed with and an elongated electric incandescent lamp M2 is substituted. The glass wall of this lamp is made sufficiently thick to withstand the pressure of steam within the gage, and it is fitted with an ordi- 9o nary loop filament, the ends of which connect with two insulated terminal plates M3, Fig. 5a. The lower end of the lamp passes through a gland-ring L2, which maintains a Watertight joint around the tube by pressure upon the packing-ring L3. The upper end of the enlargement D is closed and a cupped projecting ring D is cast upon the inside of the enlargement to form a support for the upper end of the lamp when in position. The con- Ioo nections for the lamp are carried by a removable cap P', which is constructed of suitable insulating material and is tted with slots, forming in the usual manner a bayonet-joint with pins M4, carried by the cap M5, provided on the end of the lamp. The connections consist of springy contact-pieces N', which bear at their inner ends upon the lamp-contacts M3, and are metallically connected at their outer ends to the insulated terminal contact-plates R'.

In a gage constructed as described the water-level can be read with great distinctness against the bright ground produced by the illuminated tube.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination in a water-gage, a casing suitably connected to the boiler or the like, a sight-plate therein and an illuminating-tube extending longitudinally of the casing within the same and means for illuminating the tube.

2. In combination in a water-gage, a casing suitably connected to the boiler or the like, a sight-plate therein and a tube means for illuminating the same extending longitudinally of the tube within the same, said tube being removable, and packing around the ends of said tube to prevent leakage, substantially as described.

3. In combination in a water-gage connected to the boiler or the like, and a tube extending longitudinally of the gage within the same, said tube being removable, and fitted with an artificial light, and packing around the ends of the said tube to prevent leakage, substantially as described.

In witness whereof we, have hereunto set our hands in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES ASHTON FLETCHER. SAMUEL FLETCHER.

lVitnesses:

FRANK WILLIAMSON, HUGH MOTTRAM. 

